Ephesians 4:11-16

Expanded Bible

¹¹ And ·Christ gave gifts to people—he made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to have the work of caring for and teaching God’s people [^Lhe himself gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors/shepherds, and teachers]. ¹² ·Christ gave those gifts to prepare [^L…to equip] God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. ¹³ This work must continue until we ·are all joined together in the same faith [or all reach unity in the faith] and in the same knowledge of the Son of God. We must become like ·a mature person [or the perfect Man; ^CChrist], ·growing until we become like Christ and have his perfection [^Lto the measure of the stature of Christ’s fullness].

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be ·babies [children]. We will not be tossed about like a ship that the waves carry one way and then another. We will not be ·influenced by every new teaching [^Lcarried along by every wind of (false) teaching] we hear from people who are trying to ·fool [trick] us. They ·make plans [scheme] and try any kind of trick to fool people into following ·the wrong path [error; false teaching]. ¹⁵ ·No! [Instead; Rather] ·Speaking [or Living out; Practicing] the truth with love, we will grow up in every way into Christ, who is the head. ¹⁶ ·The whole body depends on Christ, and [^L…through/by whom] all the parts of the body are joined and held together. Each ·part [supporting joint/ligament] ·does its own work [performs its function] to make the whole body grow and ·be strong with [to build itself up in] love.